Born in Watchung, N.J., she was the daughter of the late Rev. Alfred D. and Helen (Matthews) Boyd. Bette’s husband of 44 years, Donald W. Wirtz, died in 2011.

Bette served the Lord in various ministries through the Church and more recently as Adjunct Professor at Valley Forge Christian College in Valley Forge. Her ministries have included instruction and the many aspects of church life and spiritual growth. Bette holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Loyola College of Baltimore and the Master of Arts Degree in Education from Regent University, Virginia Beach.

She brought teachings on Biblical concepts for church leadership and renewal, the ministry of hospitality and choir ministries, and pastoral counseling matters. Bette served in foreign missions outreaches in Singapore where she in-serviced local leaders on pastoral counseling. She also traveled to Italy and Germany with choir tours from Valley Forge Christian College.

Rev. Wirtz served on the Pastoral Staff at Trinity Assembly of God, Lutherville, Md., for ten years. During her tenure at Trinity, Bette designed and implemented A Christian Counseling Centre training some 50 caregivers and ministered to many hundreds of individuals and families. During this time she worked under the tutelage of Richard Dobbins, PhD of Emerge Ministries, Akron, Ohio and Gilbert Clapperton, PhD of Loyola College. Bette also was Minister of Music at Hereford United Methodist Church, Hereford, MD for two years. Rev. Wirtz taught Spiritual Leadership Courses at Philadelphian Christian Center, Philadelphia and Spring City. Bette is a credentialed minister with the Assemblies of God.

Bette enjoyed music, drama, art, reading, the Chesapeake Bay, homemaking, decorating and working on the computer.